Electric heater for long bars



Sept. 25, 1928.

W. S. JOHNSON ET AL ELECTRIC HEATER FOR LONG BARS Filed May 15. 1922 5Sheets-Sheet \w n CW Sept. 25, 1928.

W. S. JOHNSON ET AL ELECTRIC HEATER FOR LONG BARS Filed May 15, 1922 3Sheets-Sheet I I/ I III/I l ///////I//I///// William 5. JZz/znson, g?

Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. JOHNSON AND JOHN W. SHEFFER, F BERWICK, PENNSYLVANIA, AS-

SIGNORS TO AMERICAN CAR, AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC HEATER FOR LONG BARS.

Application filed May 15,

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate thepreferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown anddescribed, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof withinthe scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation, part being shown in section, of ourimproved device for heating long bars electrically;

Fig. 2 is a broken plan view, partly in section, of one-half of ourdevice;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of our device, taken at the left in Fig. 1;and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

It is an object of our invention to provide an improved means forheating long bars electrically, and particularly bars to be supplied torivet making machines. It is also an objiect of our invention to providea heater of the resistance type which shall be practically closed savefor the openings through whic the bars are inserted and withdrawn and itis also an object of our invention to provide a heater of the typedescribed with means for preventing excessive cooling of the bar as itis fed to the rivet making machine.

With these and other objects in view, our invention comprises a heatingchamber carried upon suitable supports, the end supports 1 and 2 beingrectangular while the intermediate supports 3 have inclined portionswhich meetat the center of the supports. The supports are secured tosuitable foundations 4 by bolts 5 and carry I-beams 6, the I- beainsbeing spaced from the supports by suitable insulation 7. As will be seenfrom Fig. 4. the end I-beams 6 are carried by all of the supports whilethe intermediate I-beams 6 are carried by the end supports 1 and 2. Sideplates 8 are secured to the ends of all the supports by bolts 9. Mountedupon the I- beains 6 are slotted channel or trough-shaped sections 10and 11 extending the greater part of the length of the beams, thesections 10 mounted upon the end beams 6 beingnarrower than the sections11 upon the intermediate beams and having outer flanges 12 of greaterlength than the inner flanges. In the sections 10 and 11 are mounted aplurality of short 1922. Serial No. 561.081.

strips 13, 14 and 15 of heat resisting material or fire brick havingsuitable insulating qualities, the strips being cemented in place andstr ps 14 and 15 being rectangular in shape while strip 13 is providedwith an inclined upper surface having its front edge higher than itsrear edge. Mounted upon the strips 14 are the continuous supports 16,formed of the same material and which serve to carry a roof or cover 17,shown as composed of a layer 18 of suitable heat resisting insulatingmaterial and a layer 19 of fire brick. The end supports 16 serve as sidewalls for the heated chamber while the intermediate supports 16 serve asseparators and with the I-beams 6, divide the interior of the chamberinto a number of separate and smaller heating sections, all of which arein open communication with a drawing section in the bottom portion ofthe chamber. lVhile we have shown two intermediate Ibeams, it is to beunderstood that more or less beams may be used in accordance with thecapacity desired for the device. It is also to be understood that whilewe have shown the strips 13,14. 15 and 16 formed separately, they may beformed in other ways to provide the ledges on the members 13 and 15 andthe support for the roof or cover.

In brackets 20-sccured to the webs of the I- beams 6 by bolts 21, rods22 carrying bent arms 23 are rotatably mounted. The arms 23, in theirnormal positions, as shown in the drawings, lie between the ends of thestrips 13 and 15 in the slots 23 cut in the sections 10 and 11. The rods22 project at one end of the heating chamber through the channel endmember 33 and are provided with handles 24, weighted as at 25 so as toautomaticallv return the rods 22 and arms 23 to their normal positions.

lttounted upon the projecting portion of the beams 6, at one end of theheating chamber, but insulated therefrom, are guide plates 26 havingguides 27 which guide the electrodes 28 in their reciprocations on theplates 26. The electrodes are operated by handles 29 having stems 30which are connected to the electrodes but insulated therefrom byinsulating connections 31. The stems 30 pass through openings in guidebrackets 32 mounted upon the channel end member 33 and are provided withnotches 34 adapted to be engaged by weighted pawls 35 to limit theinward movement of the electrodes 28. The electrodes are movedinwardlyby wei hts 36 connected to the handles 29 by fiexib e connectors 37 which pass over pulleys 38 carried by the brackets 32.Current is supplied to the electrodes 28 by flexible cables 39 whichare, connected to any suitable source of power (not shown) and passthrough slots 40 in the guide plates 26.

At the other end of the heating chamber, a plate 41 mounted on, butinsulated from, the I-beams (3 supports electrodes 42 fixed in positionon the plate 41 by blocks 43 and 4-1, of suitable insulation, and straps45 secured to the plate 41 by bolts 46. The bolts 46, in-

some cases, pass through the flanges ot' the I-beams G and secure theplate -11 to the b ams 6, the bolts 46 being insulated from the beams 6.Current is supplied to the electrodes 42 by conductors 47 connected tothe source of power. A cover 48 for the electrodes 42 is secured to theplate 41 by bolts 19 but is insulated from the plate tl.

To prevent excessive cooling of the bar as the bar rests upon the bottomof the chamber before and during the time it is being fed to the rivetmaking machine through a discharge opening 50 in the end support 2,there is provided an inclined floor 51 of fire brick or other suitablematerial in which there is embedded resistance grids 52 connected byconductors 53 to a suitable source of power so that the grids may beheated and the temperature of the floor raised.

In the operation of our device, rods 54 are placed upon the ledgesformed by the strips 13, which constitute the heating sections, theinclination of the upper surl'acc of the strips 13 causing the rod toroll back against the strips 15. lVhen so positioned the rods will be inline with the corresponding electrodes 28 and 42 and the weights 36 willcause the rods to be firmly held between the electrodes. As these rodsare being heated other rods are placed upon the ledges formed by thestrips 15. When a rod is heated to the desired temperature, theelectrode 28 is withdrawn and the rod, knocked from its position in oneof the heating sections by operation of the rod 22 and arms 23, falls tothe drawing section and upon the bottom of the chamber, slots 55 beingprovided in the plate 26 to permit the passage of the end of the rod.The rod being engaged at a plurality of points by the arms 23 is notbent as it would be it' it were engaged at the ends only. The rod on thestrips 1.") is then grasped by the operator and rolled onto the strips13 whereupon it rolls back against the strips 15. The handle 29 isthereupon released and the weight 36 brings the electrode 28 against therod and forces the rod against the electrode 42. At the bottom of theheating chamber the rod rests upon the heated floor 51 and the rod staysin contact with the floor as it is drawn through the discharge opening50 of the drawing section to be fed to the rivet making machine.

lVhat we claim is:

1. In an electric heater having a heating chamber for long bars, aheating circuit adapted to be completed by a bar in said chamber heatedfrom an outside source and means in said chamber for maintaining the barin a heated condition upon removal of the bar from the circuit.

2. In an electric heater having a heating chamber for long bars, aheating circuit adapted to be completed by a bar in said chamber,independently heated means in said chamber for maintaining the bar in aheated condition upon removal from the circuit and means for moving thebar from the heating circuit to the heat maintaining means.

3. In an electric heater having a heating chamber for long bars, aheating circuit adapted to be completed by a bar in said chamber, afloor for said chamber adapted to receive the bar upon removal from thecircuit, electrical floor heating means embedded in said floor and meansfor moving the bar from the heating circuit to the floor.

4. In an electric heater for long bars, supports for the bars,electrodes adapted to engage the bars to complete the heating circuits,independently heated means for maintaining the bars in a heatedcondition upon removal from the circuits and means for moving the barsfrom said supports to said heat maintaining means.

5. In an electric heater for long bars, supports for the bars,electrodes adapted to engage the bars to complete the heating ci rcuits,an electrically heated floor to receive the bars upon removal from thecircuits and means for moving the bars from said supports to said floor.

6. In an electric heater for long bars, a heating chamber adapted toreceive the bars, supports in said chamber for the bars, electrodesadapted to engage the bars to complete the heating circuits, anelectrically heated floor for said chamber and arms pivotally mounted onsaid supports adapted to move the bars from said supports to said floor.

7. In an electric heater for long bars, a heating chamber having acover, supports for said cover, ledges on said supports to receive thebars, electrodes adapted to engage. the bars to complete the h *atingcircuits, an electrically heated lloor for said chamber and armspivotally mounted on said supports adapted to move the bars from theledges to the floor.

8. In an electric heater for longbars, a covered heating chamber havinga common discharge opening, supports for said cover adapted to receivethe bars. electrodes adapted to engage the bars to complete the heatingcircuits, :1 floor {or said chamber and means for moving the bars fromthe supports to the floor, said floor being inclined to guide the barsto the common discharge opening.

9. An electric heater having a heating chamber provided with oppositelydisposed heating sections for long bars, electric heating circuitsadapted to be completed by bars within said heating sections, saidchamber also having a drawing section in open communication with saidheating sections and adapted for receiving heated bars upon removalthereof from the heating circuits.

10. An electric heater having a heating chamber provided with oppositelydisposed heating sections for long bars, and an intervening barreceiving passage between said heating sections, electric heatingcircuits adapted to be completed by bars within said heating sections,said chamber also having a drawing section in communication with saidheating sections through said passage, said drawing section adapted forreceiving heated bars directed into the passage upon removal of the barsfrom the heating circuits.

11. An electric heater having a heating chamber provided withhorizontally aligned heating sections for long bars, electric heatingcircuits adapted to be completed by bars within said heating sections,said chamber also having a common drawing section in open communicationwith said heating sections provided with a common discharge and soformed as to receive heated bars upon removal thereof from the heatingcircuits and to direct the bars to the common discharge.

12. An electric heater having a heating chamber provided with 0 positelydisposed heating sections for long ars, electric heating circuitsadapted to be completed by bars within said heating sections, saidchamber also having a drawing section disposed below the heatingsections and in open communication with the same, said drawing sectionadapted for receiving heated bars upon removal thereof from the heatingcircuits and maintaining the bars in a heated condition.

13. An electric heater having a heating chamber provided with oppositelydisposed heating sections for long bars, electric heating circuitsadapted to be completedby bars within said heating sections, saidchamber also having a downwardly sloped drawing section in opencommunication with said heating sections and adapted for receivingheated bars upon removal thereof from the heating circuits.

14. An electric heater for long bars comprising a plurality of supports,a floor mounted on said supports, supporting beams mounted on saidsupports, bar holding means carried by said beams, a cover supported byand extending over the bar holding means and defining with "the floor aheating chamber, and electrodes positioned outside of the chamher forengaging the bars to complete the heating circuits.

15. An electric heater for lon bars comprising a plurality of supports,a cor mounted on said supports, supporting beams mounted on saidsupports, bar holdlng means carried by said beams, a cover extendingover the bar holding means and defining with the floor a heatingchamber, supports for said cover carried by said bar holding means, saidcover supports serving as separators for the bars during the heating ofthe latter, and electrodes positioned outside of the chamber forengaging the bars to complete the heating circuits.

16. An electric heater for long bars comprising a plurality of supports,a floor mounted on said supports, beams carried by said supports, barholding means carried by the beams, a cover supported by the beams andextending over the bar holding means and defining with the floor aheating chamber, bar moving means carried by said beams, and electrodesoutside of the heating chamber for engaging the bars to complete theheating circuits.

17. An electric heater for long bars comprising supports, a, floormounted on the Supports, beams mounted on the supports, bar supportingmeans carried by the beams. said bar supporting means being providedwith slots. a cover supported by the beams and arranged over the barsupporting means to define with the floor a heating chamber, armspivotally secured to the beams and engaging in the slots in the barsupporting means and adapted to move the bars from the supporting meansto the floor, and electrodes outside of the heating chamber for engagingthe bars to complete the heating circuits.

18. In a heater for long bars. a heating chamber having a plurality ofhorizontally alined bar supporting sections upon which the bars areheated, and a downwardly tapering floor beneath said barsupporting'sections and forming a common drawing section for all of saidbar supporting sections to direct the bars to a common discharge.

19. In a heater. a heating chamber for long bars having a plurality ofhorizontally alined bar supporting sections, and a common drawingsection for said bar supporting sections, said drawing section being soformed as to direct the bars to a common discharge.

20. In a heater. a heating chamber for long bars having a plurality ofhorizontally alined bar supporting sections upon which the bars areheated. and inclined walls below said bar supporting sections forming acommon drawing section for said bar supporting sections to receive thebars and to direct the same to a common discharge.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

WILLIAM S. JOHNSON. JOHN W. SHEFFE'R.

